We tried Penn State coach Matt Campbell’s burger at The Field. Here are our reviews
The Field Burger & Tap has a new burger creation on its “Coach’s Corner” menu, crafted with help from — and named after — Matt Campbell, Penn State’s new head football coach. And we tried it.
Four Centre Daily Times reporters and a gluten-free photojournalist recently sat down at the State College area restaurant to eat the burger and offer honest reviews on a 10-point scale.
Coach Campbell’s Roman Burger is topped with salami, mortadella, white cheddar, arugula, tomato, onion, mayo and Italian dressing, and it’s served on a brioche bun. The creation is in stark contrast from former head coach James Franklin’s healthier burger — a turkey burger on a whole grain roll topped with arugula, tomato, olive tapenade and goat cheese — which was removed from the menu after he was fired in October.
Campbell’s burger costs $19 and now sits alongside four others in the Coach’s Corner. Here are our thoughts and reviews on The Field’s newest creation:
Matt DiSanto: 8/10
If you like an Italian hoagie, you’re going to love The Field’s newest burger.
Coach Campbell’s Roman Burger is piled high with salami, mortadella and white cheddar cheese that should make your mouth water. Some fresh veggies and a spread of Italian dressing help cut through the fat to balance what would otherwise be an overly rich burger.
With quality ingredients and great flavor, this burger is a welcome addition to The Field’s menu. Just be sure to ask for extra napkins before chowing down. This is a messy sandwich in the best way.
Abby Drey: 9/10 (gluten-free version)
I eat gluten-free and appreciate that The Field offers gluten-free buns for their burgers, so I was able to put the camera down and get in on this taste test. I am a big fan of Italian sandwiches with all the fixings, lettuce, tomato, onion with a good amount of dressing or oils to make them messy. This burger was messy and juicy. I liked how everything was melted together, and I didn’t need anything additional like ketchup.
Will order again and have extra napkins ready.
Trebor Maitin: 7.5/10
I was so ready to roast this thing. A burger with an Italian hoagie on top of it? Inspired by Ohio???
But my greatest fears didn’t come to pass, in large part because the components of the burger I assumed would offend me simply blended in.
The mortadella atop the properly charred patty added a saltiness you might expect from bacon, albeit without the crunch. The salami and Italian dressing were practically invisible. What that left us with was just a good cheeseburger.
But was it a good Romanburger, which inspired Campbell’s burger? Having never set foot in Akron, I cannot say. And frankly, I don’t want to know.
Jacob Michael: 8.3/10
Much like my fellow reporter Trebor, I was coming into this burger with some hesitancy. I’m not the largest fan of Italian subs, so seeing deli meat on my burger, partnered with mayo and Italian dressing, left me with doubts. I’m also not a large tomato fan in general, so for the sake of transparency in this review, I had my portion of the Roman Burger without them.
With all that being said, though, I was very pleasantly surprised at my first bite of this meal — and second and third and fourth. All things considered, I thought it was a very well-balanced burger, with no flavors really overpowering others, and I proudly ate it all within about four minutes.
It was incredibly messy, but I didn’t mind that too much. Honestly, that’s really my only major critique of the burger that lost it points. If you’re going to order this one, be prepared to use a lot of napkins.
While I haven’t tried many of the other burgers on The Field’s menu, I would happily order this one again, but only after I knocked a few of the restaurant’s other burgers off my list first!
Josh Moyer: 7.5/10
As someone who’s not big on Italian subs, I harbored doubts on how much I’d enjoy an Ohio-inspired concoction that basically blends an Italian sub with a pub burger. I am not the target audience here.
But this is a well-balanced burger that’s not too salty and still allows the patty to shine. If I ate this blindfolded, I’m honestly not sure I’d be able to decipher the mild mortadella or salami.
Is this a great burger? No — but it’s good. The reason I liked it is probably the reason others might not like it as much; the flavors are a lot more subtle than current and former Coach’s Corner burgers. (Let’s all pour one out for the peanut butter ShrewsBurger.)
The Field is widely regarded as having one of the best burgers in Centre County. But, when I return, I’ll definitely stick with the 10/10 “Juicy Lucy” — which we were told was staying on the menu — and I’ll pass on this.
